Message from the UEA President - David Kenewell
June 11, 2008
I attended the MEA RA in April, 2008 with the other elected delegates from the Utica Education Association. As I observed the floor action, I was reminded of how the MEA has changed since I first started teaching in 1969. The MEA represents all school personnel locals. Over the past few months we have heard a lot about “Right to Work” legislation and outsourcing. Privatization of any union in the public sector threatens all of us in the education community. Just days before the RA, the Southfield Board of Education moved to privatize 350 employees. The ramifications of this trend are devastating to our state organization. It runs counter to all of our goals of protecting jobs, salaries and benefits for members, not to mention the stress on our MEA budget. Even worse, the state retirement system looses investment funding. Years from now, the system may just implode. As a union we must use our strength in numbers to continue to protect our right to collective bargaining.
In the coming months we will be fully engaged in a presidential campaign. The result of this election will affect the amount of federal funds in support of public education for the next decade. Without change, we will be hit with continuing unfunded mandates and demands for additional testing. I hope our membership will help deliver the demand for change and support for reasonable funding for public education from the federal government too.
In the coming months we will know what our local contract will hold for our members. Your bargaining team will be at the table and will continue to negotiate, undeterred by politics or special interests.
The bargaining team remains committed to achieving a fair and equitable contract for UEA members. We have had over 25 meetings as a team, including multiple days of training, attending the MEA bargaining conference, and listening to special interest groups throughout the district. We have read the responses on every single survey that was submitted by the membership. Additionally, we met at the table with the UCS team on April 4, April 22, May 13, May 15, May 19, and June 2. We will be bargaining again on June 16, and have arranged future bargaining dates in July and August. Needless to say, I am so proud of this team and I thank them for the countless hours each of them has committed.
As was discussed with building reps at the RA on June 10th, no settlement will be reached by the end of the school year, including any agreement on a calendar. If a calendar is agreed upon during the summer, you will be notified of the date to report to work. If no agreement is reached, the district has the authority to set the return date for students. That date will be after Labor Day, per state law.
Please remember that the current agreement expires on June 30. This means that current provisions, such as OYO, may be a subject of bargaining. We understand that many of you have questions. We will address all issues at our general membership meeting on August 21st at 10:00 a.m.
Have a wonderful summer.David